Chapter 2
A few days after our wedding, Lucas and I went on a little vacation. Under the guise of a honeymoon and a tour to inspect the area where we planned to build a railroad, we were actually chasing any traces of Lucas’s mother. Our first destination was Westmierden, a city within Count Garner’s domain. Lucas was born and raised there. It was also going to be the last stop for the railroad and was the very same coal mining city Lucas had once been put in charge of, which led to his rise in society.
As we traveled along the canal, riding our carriage, I began to see a city nestled between the mountains. This city was shockingly flourishing despite being so far away from the main roads connecting the kingdom. At the square, where the train station was set to be built, was a shopping district and a splendid city hall made of stone. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the carriage window.
Lucas, who sat across from me, smiled proudly. “Surprised?” he asked.
I nodded honestly. “I am. If a railroad were to connect this city to other places, it’d prosper even more.”
“Yep. Until now, we used the canals to transport coal, but now we will be able to transport coal and other items more easily by train. As long as the coal mines are in demand, this city should be able to rest easy.”
I blinked in astonishment at his unexpected words. “Are you implying that there’ll be a future where coal mines are no longer needed?”
“Yep. Everything will come to an end someday.” He remained calm as he gazed out the window. “I’ve heard foreign countries are starting to use maseki as a new fuel source. There’ve been other forms of energy recently discovered that are more efficient than coal. In fact, some countries on the continent are relying more on maseki than coal.”
“Maseki…”
“Mm-hm. I hear it’s convenient because it doesn’t emit any smoke. If Eizeria starts using that, too, this town will be over. Not like it matters to me since I’ve already put this place behind me.” He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders as he turned to me. “Industrial cities like these change with the times so constantly that it’s almost dizzying. This railroad is an investment in hopes of keeping their industry alive for just a bit longer. Solalitika’s been greatly supported by Westmierden’s value, after all.”
Lucas looked back out the window, staring into the distance. “To tell you the truth, the scenery of this city is completely different from when I lived here. The center of the city has also changed drastically.”
The carriage rolled into the city. The brick buildings were erected according to the minute elevations of the land, and the old, stone street caused the carriage to shake. On either side of the street, people bustled about. The city brimmed with an atmosphere that was different from the royal capital and the thriving oceanside city of Solalitika. It felt like a city filled with strong, working men.
“Ah, look over there, Iris,” Lucas said, pointing to a corner of the city. “That’s Coldola’s home,” he explained. “Her older brother should be the owner of their store now.”
“It feels so strange to think you were all born and raised here,” I admitted.
As we conversed, the carriage pressed on and did a lap along the main street before heading out of the city’s center. The cobblestone path ended and was quickly replaced with dirt underneath the vehicle’s wheels, and I began to see vacant land scattered on either side of the road. The wild grass swayed in the wind as I enjoyed my ride.
“Don’t step off the carriage,” Lucas mumbled in warning. “It might be dangerous.”
“Oh?” I asked.
“I don’t think anyone will try to attack my carriage, but it doesn’t hurt to be too careful.”
“Okay.”
The area was devoid of people. Stray cats took shelter in the dilapidated buildings, and it was clear that the dirt roads hadn’t been used for quite some time. It seemed more like an abandoned district than one riddled with poverty. Our carriage was quickly approaching a grassy plain.
Sometime later, Lucas had the carriage stop at a specific location.
“Here we are,” he said. “This is where I used to live.”
“So, this is the place…” I murmured.
The foliage had grown wildly around the area, and there wasn’t even a crumbling structure in place. Only the foundation of a house remained, implying that someone had once lived there, but that was all. I was at a loss for words.
“The destroyed buildings all used to be homes connected to each other,” Lucas said. “It might be difficult for you to visualize, Iris, but there used to be a lot of small rooms connected together. It’s nothing like a multiple dwelling in the royal capital, though. It’s like all the houses were connected under one roof… How do I say this? I can’t quite explain it well.”
“Where is everyone else who once lived here?” I asked.
“No clue. Some of them died. Some of them left for good. All I can say is that everyone who lived here had no other family and no promises for a future. We were all just huddled together, trying to survive the day.”
“I…see.”
“My mother’s grave is being managed by a convent near Count Garner’s manor. I have nothing left of this place. No grave, no house, nothing at all remains here.”
Lucas fell silent and gazed at the scene for a while. I imagined how a young boy with canary-yellow hair would live here with only his mother. There was no need for him to explicitly mention his past and how he’d braved through a difficult childhood. His amber eyes said it all.
He must’ve wanted to show me his home, even if nothing was left. As the carriage remained stationary, I could only silently look at the scene and peer into my husband’s past.